These Foolish Things

PROFILE

Composer

Jack Strachey

Lyricist

Eric Maschwitz (as Holt Marvell)

Year Written

1936

About These Foolish Things

Although written and first performed in 1936, “These Foolish Things” was not an immediate hit. In fact, Maschwitz’ agent refused to publish the song and so Maschwitz himself did. There were several fine recordings in the 1930s, including one by Billie Holiday with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra and Benny Goodman. In the 1950s, the song became even more popular, with recordings by Artie Shaw, Nat King Cole, Art Pepper and Johnny Hartman.”These Foolish Things” ranks #28 on jazzstandards.org and is still widely played and recorded.

Lyrics

A cigarette that bears a lipstick’s traces,
An airline ticket to romantic places,
And still my heart has wings…
These foolish things remind me of you.

A tinkling piano in the next apartment,
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant,
A fairground’s painted swings…
These foolish things remind me of you.

You came, you saw,
You conquered me.
When you did that to me,
I knew somehow this had to be.

The winds of march that make my heart a dancer,
A telephone that rings,
And who’s to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings…
These foolish things remind me of you.

How strange, how sweet
To find you still,
These things are dear to me,
They seem to bring you near to me.

The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations,
Silk stockings thrown aside, dance invitations.
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you…